MORNINGTON METHODISTS

Evening Star, Issue 21890, 29 November 1934, Page 16

MORNINGTON METHODISTS

WELCOME TO THE HEV. E. T. COX On Monday evening the Mornington Methodist Sunday School Hall was the scene of an enthusiastic gathering of church members and adherents, the occasion being a welcome home to the Rev. E. T.' Cox and Mrs Cox upon their return from the Melbourne centenary celebrations. The function was opened with a hymn and prayer, after which a short but popular musical programme was contributed by Messrs E. Paris and R. G. Simpson (songs), Messrs Buckland and Rowlatt (banjo duets), and Master Whale (recitations). Mr F. G. Marshall (chairman) had associated with him on the platform Mr and Mrs Cox, the Rev. Mr Olds, and Mr Torrance. The Chairman extended a hearty and sincere welcome to Mr and Mrs Cox, and complimented them upon their very evident fitness. The evening served a dual purpose, he said—to welcome Mr and Mrs Cox and to show emphatically that the last official _ quarterly board meeting was not indicative of the desire of the church members as a whole. Mr Marshall then dealt briefly with events leading up to that meeting, mentioning that in the first place Mr Cox had astounded Dunedin by the large majority obtained at the mayoral election. He had a great' ideal—to banish the curse of unemployment. As mayor he encountered determined opposition from certain quarters, but, notwithstanding, he had done valuable work. The argument used by some members of the church—and a good argument—was that, in their opinion, it was not possible for Mr Cox to. carry out the duties both of mayor and minister of the church, and that the church must suffer. Mr Marshall thought that that opinion was honestly- and impersonally held, and those who held it must be respected for their' sincerity. But he was in j;he happy, position of being able to refute that , argument. After the last official quarterly meeting; and after Mr and Mrs, Cox had sailed for Australia,, some who were dissatisfied with the result conferred and decided to sound the opinions ,of churdh members and adherents. They drew up a petition which had been signed already by over two-thirds of the members, who. were anxious that Mr Cox should be retained, and move names were yet to bo added. In that petition, said Mr Marshall, they had a wonderful testimonial to the esteem in which Mr Cox was held, and, with regard to the quarterly meeting, it constituted a demand ‘ which could not conscientiously be ignored. He sincerely hoped that at the, next meeting a unanimous vote for Mr Cox would be returned. (Applause.) Mr Cox was engaged in a wonderful work—the emancipation of the unemployed. The Chairman stressed thie sacred responsibility of members and adherents by being loyal to the church and the minister by regular attendance, and then, by closer communion with Christ, better work than ever would be accomplished.

Mr Lamb, a trustee of the church, then welcomed Mr, and Mrs Cos, and spoke briefly to the effect that the congregation of the church should have greater powers in official matters than they had. By this he meant that the Quarterly Board was not necessarily, representative of the members. Mr A. W. Rawley, also a trustee, in a brief address, of welcome, said that ho had at first held the opinion that it was not possible for a minister to hold the two positions satisfactorily, but he was now convinced that Mr Cox had the ability to do so. He had not always agreed with Mr Cox, and neither did he always agree with Messrs Forbes and Coates—but he would say that, in his opinion the church. had not been neglected. Mr Pitts, representing the choir, and Mr Torrance also extended a welcome, the latter remarking that all Methodists should bo proud of Mr Cox. Short addresses were given by Mr Tennent, a trustee, and Mrs Harvey, who presented to Mrs Cox a beautiful bouquet of roses on behalf of the Ladies’ Guild.

The Rev. H. C. Olds, chairman of the district, then addressed the gathering, and, in the course of his. speech, complimented tho previous speakers on the fairness of their remarks, and said that preseriting the petition to the Quarterly Board was, in his opinion, the only wise method of attaining their desires..

In reply, Mr Cox thanked everyone for their welcome, and said that the quality of the addresses given during the evening had mad© him_ happy. He gave some impressions of his Australian visit, and entertained those present with interesting anecdotes.